Loading...
Skip to main content

CVE-2022-4450

HIGH

openssl-src contains Double free after calling `PEM_read_bio_ex`

Published February 8, 2023Updated February 4, 2026Source: osv

Summary

The function `PEM_read_bio_ex()` reads a PEM file from a BIO and parses and decodes the "name" (e.g. "CERTIFICATE"), any header data and the payload data. If the function succeeds then the "name_out", "header" and "data" arguments are populated with pointers to buffers containing the relevant decoded data. The caller is responsible for freeing those buffers. It is possible to construct a PEM file that results in 0 bytes of payload data. In this case `PEM_read_bio_ex()` will return a failure code but will populate the header argument with a pointer to a buffer that has already been freed. If the caller also frees this buffer then a double free will occur. This will most likely lead to a crash. This could be exploited by an attacker who has the ability to supply malicious PEM files for parsing to achieve a denial of service attack. The functions `PEM_read_bio()` and `PEM_read()` are simple wrappers around `PEM_read_bio_ex()` and therefore these functions are also directly affected. These functions are also called indirectly by a number of other OpenSSL functions including `PEM_X509_INFO_read_bio_ex()` and `SSL_CTX_use_serverinfo_file()` which are also vulnerable. Some OpenSSL internal uses of these functions are not vulnerable because the caller does not free the header argument if `PEM_read_bio_ex()` returns a failure code. These locations include the `PEM_read_bio_TYPE()` functions as well as the decoders introduced in OpenSSL 3.0.

Remediation

Upgrade to the fixed version using your package manager.

Cargo
Update openssl-src to 111.25.0 or later
cargo update -p openssl-src --precise 111.25.0
Cargo
Update openssl-src to 300.0.12 or later
cargo update -p openssl-src --precise 300.0.12

After upgrading, run your dependency scanner again to confirm the vulnerability is resolved.

Affected Packages (2)

PackageEcosystemAffectedFixed In
openssl-src
crates.io
All versions111.25.0
openssl-src
crates.io
All versions300.0.12

Vulnerability Classification

Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) identifiers for this vulnerability type.

CVSS Score Breakdown

What the CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) 7.5 score means for each attack dimension.

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-4450?
openssl-src contains Double free after calling `PEM_read_bio_ex` This vulnerability has been assigned a severity rating of HIGH (CVSS score: 7.5/10).
How do I check if my project is affected by CVE-2022-4450?
CVE-2022-4450 affects openssl-src. Use GeekWala's free vulnerability scanner to check your dependencies against CVE-2022-4450 and 200,000+ other known vulnerabilities.

Severity & Exploitability

CVSS Score
7.5

High exploitability or significant impact. Prioritize remediation within days.

Also Known As

GHSA-v5w6-wcm8-jm4q
RUSTSEC-2023-0010

Related CVEs

Check if you're affected

Scan your dependencies to see if this vulnerability affects your projects.

Scan Your Dependencies